iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max India prices see a big hike; Should you buy?

For the second year in a row, the India prices of the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max have seen a hike. How expensive are they now and should you invest in one?

Know the price difference between last year’s Pro models and the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Are they still worth it? (Apple)

The Apple event unveiled the new iPhone 15 lineup which comes with big upgrades for every single model. While the standard models are getting a 48MP camera and the Dynamic Island, the Pro models are getting a titanium frame, an Action button, and the A17 Pro chipset. This makes the iPhone 15 series quite lucrative, no matter which model you prefer. However, for those who prefer the iPhone 15 Pro-models, the attractiveness of smartphones in the consumers' eyes has dampened a bit after the India price announcement. Both of the smartphones have received a big price hike. With that in mind, should you be buying the new iPhone or let this one pass as a price anomaly? Let us take a look.

iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max India prices

In the US, the iPhone 15 Pro starts at $999 for the 128GB variant, which means there is no price change. The iPhone 15 Pro Max does get a $100 price hike and will start at $1199, but the company has also boosted its storage to 256GB, effectively negating the price hike as the iPhone 14 Pro Max was also being sold for $1199 for the 256GB variant. Also, Catch all the iPhone 15 Live Updates here.

However, the same smartphones get more expensive when the India prices are considered. The iPhone 15 Pro starts at Rs. 134900 (as opposed to Rs. 129900 for the iPhone 14 Pro), whereas the iPhone 15 Pro Max starts at Rs. 159900 (as opposed to Rs. 139900 for the iPhone 14 Pro Max).

Not sure which
mobile to buy?

Many consumers have pointed out that this makes the Apple Pro models prohibitively expensive. The iPhone rival Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra starts at Rs. 124999, which was already cheaper than the iPhone 14 Pro Max but is also considerably cheaper than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. We will have to wait and see if the prices of the Galaxy S24 Ultra are also hiked significantly when it is launched.

Explaining the reason behind the price hike for the iPhone 15 Pro models, Utsav Techie, a tech content creator on YouTube told HT Tech, “While the Pro model is expected to have higher specifications due to the premium materials used in it, Apple is not manufacturing Pro models in India. On the other hand, the iPhone 15 didn't see a price jump as it is mainly assembled in India”.

iPhone 15 Pro prices an anomaly?

While that explains why the Pro-models are more expensive, should you be buying the iPhone 15 Pro or the iPhone 15 Pro Max? That question can only be answered by you. The fancy new specs are awesome and for many that would be enough to go for it. Ultimately, what properly serves your requirements should be the basis of the purchase decision.

If you believe that the prices this year might be an anomaly and planning to wait and see if they are reduced the next year's Apple event, we are afraid that will not be the case. A simple glance at the historic prices of the iPhone Pro models shows that they have never come down, only plateaued for a year or so before being hiked again. The last time a Pro model did not see a price rise was in the iPhone 13 lineup in 2021. Before that, it was the iPhone 11 lineup, and before that, it was the iPhone 7 lineup. In each case, the prices were kept the same as its successor but never reduced.